China's Rise in Historical Perspective

Edited by Brantly Womack

China, with its geographical, historical, cultural, and political distance from the West, long has been a black box upon which we readily paste labels—communist, non-Western, developing country—but whose internal logic remains a mystery to us. Arguing that it would be a major step forward in our genuine knowledge of China if we understood its internal dynamic, this innovative book considers China from a historical perspective to chart its current dynamic and future direction.

Renowned historians, economists, and political scientists explore the internal dynamic of China's rise since traditional times through the key themes of China's identity, security, economy, environment, energy, and politics. Each themed section pairs a historian with a social scientist to give an overall view of where China is coming from and where it is heading. One of the PRC's best-known experts on international relations provides a concluding reflection on the political psychology of China's view of itself in the world.

Although a China-centered perspective does not yield clear, absolute truths about China's rise, focusing on change in the PRC from pre-modern times to the present allows us to distinguish between China's own dynamic and its relative change of position vis-à-vis other actors, including ourselves. Written in clear and accessible style, this nuanced book will be essential reading for all readers interested in China past and present and its growing global role.

Brantly Womack is Cumming Memorial Professor of Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia.

IntroductionBrantly WomackPart I: China and the World Order: Dilemmas of IdentityChapter 1: China and the World: From Tribute to Treaties to Popular NationalismJoseph W. EsherickChapter 2: On China's RiseLowell DittmerPart II: Challenges of Strategy and SecurityChapter 3: Chinese Strategy and Security Issues in Historical PerspectiveEvelyn S. RawskiChapter 4: China's Strategy and Security in the Post–Cold War EraMichael D. SwainePart III: China's Economic TrajectoryChapter 5: China's Prereform Economy in World PerspectiveDwight H. PerkinsChapter 6: The Dynamics of China's Reform-Era EconomyBarry NaughtonPart IV: China's Ecological and Resource InteractionChapter 7: The Environmental Impasse in Late Imperial ChinaMark ElvinChapter 8: China's Energy RiseErica S. DownsPart V: Political Creativity and Political DevelopmentChapter 9: The Political Creativity of Late Imperial ChinaR. Keith SchoppaChapter 10: Political Creativity and Political Reform in China?Joseph FewsmithPart VI: Concluding ReflectionsChapter 11: Struggle for Identity: A Political Psychology of China's RiseQin Yaqing

A major step forward in the accurate understanding of China in the attempt to understand its internal dynamic. . . . This book will inform both the average reader and the academic about the rise of China, and above all, its identity reconstruction.— Journal of Chinese Political Science

Stimulating and elegant. This unique book purposefully blends insightful historical analyses and strong present-day commentaries, placing core elements of the phenomenon of contemporary China into very meaningful contexts. This welcome and long-overdue approach will assist a broad readership that seeks to understand both where China has been and where it is going.— Robert A. Kapp, former president, US-China Business Council

China and the United States are bound to have issues and confrontation. We will also have synergies, collaboration, and cooperation. In China's Rise, Brantly Womack has compiled the most useful set of perspectives in the last decade on how to think about China. The contributors to this book are not only among the best observers and analysts of China's actions but also some of the best writers in the field. They have given us a guide to understanding that is not only immensely interesting to a broad group of readers trying to understand modern China but also eminently useful to those who deal in the U.S.-China relationship in any serious way.— Admiral Joseph W. Prueher, former ambassador to China and commander-in-chief, U.S. Pacific Command

Presents a China-centered perspective on China's rise

Treats China's rise comprehensively, not just focusing on politics or economics

Considers China's rise in depth, going back thousands of years and forward to new challenges on the horizon

Combines the expertise of historians and social scientists

Authored by leading scholars, all noted in their fields

Written in accessible and engaging style

China's Rise in Historical Perspective

Hardback

Paperback

eBook

Summary

Summary

China, with its geographical, historical, cultural, and political distance from the West, long has been a black box upon which we readily paste labels—communist, non-Western, developing country—but whose internal logic remains a mystery to us. Arguing that it would be a major step forward in our genuine knowledge of China if we understood its internal dynamic, this innovative book considers China from a historical perspective to chart its current dynamic and future direction.

Renowned historians, economists, and political scientists explore the internal dynamic of China's rise since traditional times through the key themes of China's identity, security, economy, environment, energy, and politics. Each themed section pairs a historian with a social scientist to give an overall view of where China is coming from and where it is heading. One of the PRC's best-known experts on international relations provides a concluding reflection on the political psychology of China's view of itself in the world.

Although a China-centered perspective does not yield clear, absolute truths about China's rise, focusing on change in the PRC from pre-modern times to the present allows us to distinguish between China's own dynamic and its relative change of position vis-à-vis other actors, including ourselves. Written in clear and accessible style, this nuanced book will be essential reading for all readers interested in China past and present and its growing global role.

Brantly Womack is Cumming Memorial Professor of Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

IntroductionBrantly WomackPart I: China and the World Order: Dilemmas of IdentityChapter 1: China and the World: From Tribute to Treaties to Popular NationalismJoseph W. EsherickChapter 2: On China's RiseLowell DittmerPart II: Challenges of Strategy and SecurityChapter 3: Chinese Strategy and Security Issues in Historical PerspectiveEvelyn S. RawskiChapter 4: China's Strategy and Security in the Post–Cold War EraMichael D. SwainePart III: China's Economic TrajectoryChapter 5: China's Prereform Economy in World PerspectiveDwight H. PerkinsChapter 6: The Dynamics of China's Reform-Era EconomyBarry NaughtonPart IV: China's Ecological and Resource InteractionChapter 7: The Environmental Impasse in Late Imperial ChinaMark ElvinChapter 8: China's Energy RiseErica S. DownsPart V: Political Creativity and Political DevelopmentChapter 9: The Political Creativity of Late Imperial ChinaR. Keith SchoppaChapter 10: Political Creativity and Political Reform in China?Joseph FewsmithPart VI: Concluding ReflectionsChapter 11: Struggle for Identity: A Political Psychology of China's RiseQin Yaqing

Reviews

Reviews

A major step forward in the accurate understanding of China in the attempt to understand its internal dynamic. . . . This book will inform both the average reader and the academic about the rise of China, and above all, its identity reconstruction.— Journal of Chinese Political Science

Stimulating and elegant. This unique book purposefully blends insightful historical analyses and strong present-day commentaries, placing core elements of the phenomenon of contemporary China into very meaningful contexts. This welcome and long-overdue approach will assist a broad readership that seeks to understand both where China has been and where it is going.— Robert A. Kapp, former president, US-China Business Council

China and the United States are bound to have issues and confrontation. We will also have synergies, collaboration, and cooperation. In China's Rise, Brantly Womack has compiled the most useful set of perspectives in the last decade on how to think about China. The contributors to this book are not only among the best observers and analysts of China's actions but also some of the best writers in the field. They have given us a guide to understanding that is not only immensely interesting to a broad group of readers trying to understand modern China but also eminently useful to those who deal in the U.S.-China relationship in any serious way.— Admiral Joseph W. Prueher, former ambassador to China and commander-in-chief, U.S. Pacific Command

Features

Features

Presents a China-centered perspective on China's rise

Treats China's rise comprehensively, not just focusing on politics or economics

Considers China's rise in depth, going back thousands of years and forward to new challenges on the horizon